Lid support



e. H. JOHNSON 2,209,978

LID SUPPORT Filed Aug. 5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 6, 1940. v G. H. JOHNSON LID SUPPORT Filed Aug. 5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 6, 1940 LID sUPPoa'r George H. Johnson, Rockford, 111., assignor to The Atwood 'Vacuum Machine Company, {tookford, 111., a co-partnership composed of Seth B. Atwood and James T. Atwood Application August 5, 1936, Serial No. 94,305

'7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to supports for liftable hinged closures, and is more particularly concerned with a support for the lid of a luggage compartment on an automobile or other vehicle. Supports similar to what have been used on phonograph cabinet lids have been found unsuitable for use on automobiles because of the danger involved of serious injury in the event the lid on a rear trunk or luggage compartment, for example, should fall accidentally while the motorist is putting in or removing articles from the compartment. The danger, of course, is greatly increased when such supports are used on heavier lids, as, for example, on the large engine hoods used on the streamline automobiles. It is, therefore, the principal object of my invention to provide a support having two pivotally connected arms pivotally attached to the body and lid at their remote ends and equipped with a special form of coacting pin and cam slot means at their pivotally connected ends for automatically locking the arms in supporting relation, whereby to insure the same safe degree of positive locking in each operation of the lid.

Certain earlier types of supports were objectionable from the standpoint that if play developed between the arms, there was too much danger of the pin becoming disengaged fromthe slot while the arms were in cocked supporting position, and thus allowing thelid to drop. In accordance with my invention, therefore, I provide a U-shaped yoke or fork on the end of one arm to receive the cooperating end of the other arm when the arms interengage to support the lid, thus permitting the support to be made with ample play in the parts for easy operation without incurring any danger of such accidental disengagement of the arms just mentioned.

It is also important in a deviceof this kind to avoid rattling and. vibration of parts when the car is in motion, and with that object in view I have provided a simple and effective means which, in the folding of the arms as the lid is closed, places the arms under a definite restraint or stress by reason of what I term a pinching action occurring preferably between the two arms, or else between one of the arms and the body of the car, or the lid. In that way, the arms are held rigid in folded position, and cannot rattle.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side view of the rear portion of an automobile showing a support made in accordance withiny invention applied to the luggage compartment lid, which is shown raised;

Fig. 2 shows the Support in folded position with the lid closed;

Fig. 3 is a rear View of the support'as it appears in Fig. 2, but on a larger scale, the view being taken approximately on the line 3-3of Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 and 5 are two views from the side and front, respectively, of the interlocked ends of the supporting arms in cocked supporting position;

Fig.6 is a sectional detail on the line 6-6 of Fig,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentarydetail showing a modification in one detail of the support;

Fig. 8 is a sectional detail on the line 88 of Fig Fig. 9 is a sectional view somewhat similar ,to Fig. 2, illustrating anotherfeature of the lid support, and i Fig. 10 is a sectional detail of the bumper mounting taken on the line W-l 0 of Fig. 9.

Similar reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring to Figs, 1 to 6, the reference numeral .9 designates the luggage compartment of an automobile, and I0 its lid or door hinged, as indicated 5 at l I, to permit raising and lowering to and from the open position illustration in Fig. 1. The support of the present invention constitutes an improvement on that disclosed in my oopending application Serial No. 35,559, filed August 10, 1935-, and, like that support, comprises two supporting arms or links i2 and i3 pivotally attached at M and i5, respectively, to the side wall of the luggage compartment Q andedge portion of the lid It, as shown. Brackets l6 and ll are riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the body and lid to provide the pivot supports. The arms l2 and I3, similarly as in the earlier application, have a pinand slot pivotal connection at their free ends, the headed pin l8 carried on the arm I2 being slidable in a slot I9 extending lengthwise of the outer end of the arm l3. A pin or stud mounted on the arm l2 an inwardly spaced relation to the pin I8 is arranged to enter a cam slot 2| in the end of the arm IS in outwardly 45 spaced relation to the longitudinal slot l9. In keeping with the disclosure in the earlier application, a plate 22 is welded or otherwise suitably secured on the end ofthe arm 13 and has a flanged portion 23 which cooperates with the sawtooth flange 24 on the endof the arm l3 to form the cam slot 2L .A spring washer 25 is compressed under the end of the arm 12 at the pivot Mito provide frictional drag. The offset26 in the 55 arm I 3, in inwardly spaced relation to the slot I9, permits the arm I2 to swing alongside the arm I3 in folding, without having the pin 20 strike the arm I 3.

In operation, the arms I2 and I3 are folded, as shown in Fig. 2, when the lid I is closed. As the lid is raised, the arm I3, by reason of the frictional drag imposed upon the movement of the arm I2, first slides on the pin I8 to the extent permitted by the slot I9, and, when the pin I8 reaches the outer end of the slot, the arm I2 commences to swing about its pivot I I. The arms at the limit of upward movement of the lid are in endwise alignment with the pin I8 at the outer end of the slot I9 and the pin, 28 adjacent the cam slot 2|. Then, as the lid is lowered, the pin 20 enters the slot 2I and seats in the recess a at the same time that the pin I8 reaches the far end of the slot I9, and the lid is therefore securely supported. In other words, the motorist simply raises the lid as far as it will go and then releases it, and when he does that the pins I8 and 20 move into the positions shown in Fig. 4, and no amount of ordinary jarring of the lid could possibly cause it to drop. There is no hair trigger action like there was with the old overcenter type of lid support. The fact that both pins bottom at the same time is of advantage in distributing the load and reducing likelihood of the support becoming wobbly by reason of loosening of a supporting pin. The motorist furthermore does not have to touch the arms as with the old over-center type, and can therefore perform the operation with one hand, if desired. When the lid is to be lowered again, the motorist first raises it as far as it will go, and in this operation the pin 20-1eaves the recess a and rideson the cam surface I) into the recess 0, thus limiting the raising of the lid and at the same time setting the arms I2 and I3 in readiness for folding. The motorist merely raises the lid as far as it will go and then lowers it, and, as the lid is lowered, the pin 20 leaves the slot 2I, and the arms fold toward the relationship shown in Fig: 2. Throughout this cycle of operation, the frictional drag imposed upon the movement of the arm I2 by the washer 25 plays an important part in eliminating reliance upon gravity, which might otherwise under certain conditions, when the car is on an up-hill or downhill grade, cause the arms to assume undesired positions at certain stages of the cycle. The drag assures theproper relationship of the arms at every point in the cycle of operation.

In accordance with the present invention, the plate 22 not only forms a part of the cam slot on the end of the arm I3 with its flange 23, but is bent to U-shape cross-section to provide a yoke or fork 2'! in which'the end of the other arm I2 is arranged to be received and be held in close abutment with the arm I3, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, when the arms are in cocked supporting relation. In earlier lid supports, if play developed between the arms, the projection on the one arm relied upon for support by its engagement in a recess in the other arm was apt to become disengaged from the recess and thus allow the lid to drop. The yoke 21 keeps the arms I2 and I3 in snug engagement when they are in supporting relation, and there is no possibility, therefore, for the pin 20 to become disengaged from the slot 2|. The present support is therefore absolutely safe. The construction furthermore permits ample allowance for clearance between the parts for easy operation,

without incurring any danger of the support failing. The free end of the forked yoke portion 21 is bent outwardly, as indicated at 28, to provide a guide for the arm I2 to ride into the yoke as the arms come into endwise alignment in the raising of the lid III. The transverse or bight portion 29 of the yoke is also arranged to serve as a limiting stop for the arm I2 when the arms swing into endwise alignment in the raising of the lid, and will guide the arm as the lid is lowered so that the pin 20 will ride up into the recess a. In other words, the arms cannot fold in the reverse direction from that illustrated in Fig. 2, because the yoke 27 serves as a stop for the arm I2, limiting movement over center to the extent where the pin 28 is assured of entering the recess a. as the lid is lowered from its extreme upper position. The support is therefore made foolproof, and no amount of rough handling of the lid can throw the arms into any relationship that would result in a jam and probable damage to the support, or lid, or both.

' It will now be observed that the bracket I6 has a'small lug 30 projecting therefrom below the pivot I l, arranged to limit the downward swing ofthe arm I2 as the arms fold in the closing of the lid I0. See Fig. 2. This is of distinct advantage, because the position of the folded support is thereby definitely predetermined, and there is'no danger of the support protruding into the luggage compartment and causing damage to luggage placed therein. Since the relationship of the arms when folded is definitely predetermined, there is no danger of the arm I2 getting into a position where it will swing in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot, instead of in a clockwise direction. A still further advantage of the limiting stop 30 is that it provides rigid support for the arm I2 so that a knob 3| can be provided on the arm I3 to wedgingly engage the arm I2 as the arms fold into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, whereby to exert a pinching or crowding action between the arms, and flex them slightly so that the assembly binds at the pivots I4, I5 and I8, and cannot therefore develop a rattle when the car is in motion. The

knob 3| is preferably formed as an integral part of the arm I3 on the offset portion 26 by extrusion between dies, as indicated by the dimple 32 formed on the opposite side of the arm from the knob. Therefore, even though ample clearance is provided between the parts to assure easy operation, rattling of the assembly is prevented when the car is in motion. The knob 3| is inwardly spaced from the end of the slot I9 sufficiently to clear the end of the arm I2 when the arms are in coextensive supporting relationship, as appears in'Figs. 4 and 5. It will not, therefore, interfere in any way with the functioning of the support, but comes into play only when the arms fold in the closing of the lid.

Now, referring to Figs. '7 and. 8, a stop 30 is shown on a bracket I6 for cooperation with the arm I2 to limit counterclockwise swinging movement thereof in the folding of the arms similarly as the lug 30 previously described. However, in this case, an inclined surface 3| is provided on the bracket I6 for wedging engagement by the arm as it approaches the stop 30, whereby to place the entire support assembly under a stress or strain somewhat similar to what is secured with the knob 3| in the construction previously described. In that way, rattling of the parts when the car is in motion is also prevented.

In Fig. 9, the lid I0 for the luggage compart- .sulation 33 at the'hinges II'.

ment 9 is shown as hinged at H, and insulated from the body of the car,.as indicated by the in- By insulating the lid from the body, the lid can be used as an aerial for the cars radio. The lid support has the bracket Il thereof also insulated from the lid, as indicated at 34. Now, in accordance with my invention, I provide a rubber bumper 35 on the yoke 27, arranged to be engaged by the lid ID in the closing of the lid, whereby to force the knob 3! into wedging engagement with the arm I2 to secure the binding action between the arms I2 and I3, previously mentioned. If noarrangement were made for positively forcing the arms I2 and I3 together, the knob 3I might in certain cases not engage the arm I2 at all, or at least not sufficiently to really give a binding action between the arms, and prevent rattling of the lid support when the car is in motion. The provision whereby the arm I3 is forced toward the arm I2 by the lid itself, insures such binding action and eliminates the necessityfor close accuracy in the location of the brackets I6 and I1. The bumper 35 silences this operation and prevents rattling of the support against the lid when the car is in motion, besides keeping the lid support insulated from the lid, whereby to keep the lid insulated from the body of the car to which the lid support is attached and grounded at I6. I have previously pointed out how the transverse or bight portion 29 of the yoke portion 21 is arranged to serve as a limiting stop for the arm I2 when the arms swing into endwise alignment in the raising of the lid. That occurs when the lid is raised quickly, when the arms I2 and I3 swing past a dead center under their own momentum. Now, under those conditions, the small retaining head 36 on the shank 31 of the bumper 35 will afford a bumper for engagement by the arm I2 to prevent metal to metal contact, and thus silence the operation. As clearly appears in Fig. 10, the head 36 is tapered so as to permit of its being forced through the hole 38 in the'bight portion 29 of the yoke 21. The bumper 35 therefore serves a three-fold purpose: As an insulator between the lid Ill and the lid support I2I3; as a bumper for silencing the engagement of the lid with the lid support in closing and. thereafter, and as a bumper for silencing the engagement between the arms I2 and I3 when swung into coextended relation.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn with a view to covering all le gitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. A lid support comprising a first arm pivotally attached to a lid, a second arm pivotally attached to a receptacle, said first arm having a free end portion bent into offset but parallel relation to the rest of the arm, the offset end portion having a slot provided therein and the extremity thereof having a notch provided therein: a first pin on the free end of the second arm operating in the slot and thereby pivotally and slidably connecting the free ends of said arms, a second pin on the second arm in longitudinally spaced relation to the first pin arranged to enter the notch when the arms are in supporting relation, and a plate carried on the outer side of the notched end of the first arm having an inwardly bent lower edge portion defining cam surfaces in angular relation to one another and in spaced relation to the notched end of the arm forenand said plate having a longitudinal edge portion bent inwardly to form a channel to receive the edge portion of the second arm in lid-supporting position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A lid support as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the last named plate has an opening provided therein in the transverse wall of the channelshaped portion thereof, the lid support including a rubber bumper button having a headed shank portion entered in said opening from the outside of the channel-shaped portion, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A lid support comprising two arms, one adapted to be pivoted to a lid and the other adapted to be pivoted to a receptacle, a slot provided in the free end of one arm and a pin on the free end of the other arm entered therein to pivotally and slidably connect said arms, said arms being thereby pivoted so as to be foldable into overlapping relation, the free end of the slotted arm also having a notch provided therein, and another pin on the other arm spaced from its free end arranged to engage in the notch to hold the arms rigidly in supporting relation, the slotted arm having the pivoted end portion thereof disposed in offset substantially parallel relation to the slotted free end portion of the arm and connected thereto by an intermediate angular portion, and said angular portion having a lateral projection of sufficient length to have sliding wedging engagement with the inner face of the other arm in the folding of the arms so as to cause a binding of the first pin in the slot, for the purpose described.

4. A lid support as set forth in claim 3, including a bracket for pivotally mounting one of the arms, said bracket having a stop projection thereon for limiting the folding movement of the arm,

whereby in the relative movement of the arms in folding the stopped arm is supported for the wedging and binding action referred to.

5. A lid support comprising two arms, one adapted to be pivoted to a lid and the other adapted to be pivoted to a receptacle, a slot provided in the free end of one arm and a pin on the free end of the other arm entered therein to pivotally and slidably connect said arms, said arms being thereby pivoted so as to be foldable into overlapping relation, the free end of the slotted arm also having a notch provided therein, and another pin on the other arm spaced from its free end arranged to engage in the notch to hold jection thereon which in the folded relationship of the arms extends from its associated arm toward and engages the adjacent inner face of the other arm, said projection being of sufficient length in relation to the spacing of the offset portion of the slotted arm relative to the other arm in the folded relationship of the arms to have sliding wedging engagement with the adjacent inner face of the other arm in the folding of the arms so as to cause a binding of the first pin in the slot, for the purpose described.

6. A lid support as set forth in claim 5, in-

eluding a bracket for pivotally mounting one of the arms, said bracket having a stop projection thereon for limiting the folding movement of the arm, whereby in the relative movement of the arms in folding the stopped arm is supported for the wedging and binding action referred to.

7. A lid support comprising two arms, one adapted to be pivoted to a lid and the other adapted to be pivoted to a receptacle, a slot provided in the free end of one arm and a pin on the free end of the other arm entered therein to pivotally and slidably connect said arms, said arms being thereby pivoted so as to be foldable into overlapping relation, the free end of the slotted arm also having a notch provided therein, and another pin on the other arm spaced from its free end arranged to engage in the notch to hold the arms rigidly in supporting relation, said slotted arm having a channel-shaped extension on the free notched end thereof arranged to receive an adjacent longitudinal edge portion of the other arm when the arms are in lid supporting relationship, said channel-shaped extension having an opening provided therein in the transverse wall of the channel thereof, and a rubber bumper button having a headed shank portion entered in said opening from the outside of said channel-shaped extension, substantially as and for the purpose described.

GEORGE H. JOHNSON. 

